Yesterday was (apparently) International Dog Day. So, in recognition of that, USA Today released an exclusive look at the canine star of Walt Disney Animation Studios' next short film, Feast! So, meet cute little Boston terrier Winston!
The short's director Patrick Osborne says Winston is like any of us: "Looking for food and some kind of emotional connection." (I know that's most of what I look for, to be fair..). On the plot of the short, USA Today says that Winston, a stray pup, "finds both when he discovers a human named James on the other end of a french fry. The story follows their growing friendship over a 12-year span based on the meals, some accidentally spilled, they eat — all seen from Winston's point of view."
The story sounds absolutely great; whimsical, charming and great fun. But what's even more arresting (for me, anyway, as a fan of the tech that goes into all of this) is that the short now definitely seems to have been animated using an evolution of Disney's Meander system, the software used to bind together CG 3D worlds and traditional 2D hand-drawn characters that we first saw in 2012's Oscar-winning Paperman. Now though, the system has introduced colour too, and these first images are absolutely stunning. In a world where there is precious little hand-drawn animation on the big screen, it's a refreshing and thrilling sign to see shorts like this paving the future of the hand-drawn animation medium.
Feast opens before Big Hero 6 on 7th November (US)/30th January, 2015 (UK).
It's not 2D at all, it was cel-shaded, it reminds me of the Zelda Wind Waker Wii U remake.
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